Proliferation of turtles attracting more sharks

August 29, 2013

Hawaii's recent problem of more shark attacks should not come as a surprise. Today the green sea turtle seems to be more numerous than ever. Because people are restricted from taking them, they have only one predator of any consequence - the tiger shark.

We are protecting an ever-growing food source for the apex predator of our island nearshore waters. Why would we not expect more attacks as more and more people enjoy our beaches and fish and surf?

At this time, protective nets, as used in Australia and South Africa, are the quickest, guaranteed protection for select beaches.

At some point, native harvesting of both turtles and tiger sharks might be allowed. I am not talking about commercial taking. Let cultural practices be respected. I am not talking about an open season on these two species but a thoughtful approach toward restoring balance.